Proud Spirits and Wayward Souls
by n1ghta1r
Summary: It's been a long time since Wirt and Greg ventured into the unknown, and a long time since Wirt took on the task of lantern bearer. Now that all the Adelwood trees are gone, he needs new souls to keep his brother's light from fading, and soon two new ones tumble down an old well in Oregon; into the Unknown. ((Based on the Coraline movie, I haven't read the book yet, but I will))
1. Chapter 1

The boy wandered the forest, axe in dirt and oil stained hands, shining a fading and flickering lantern through the darkness, searching for something.

* * *

It was Halloween night. Coraline was in her room, glue and construction paper littered the floor. She stood by a mirror, triumphantly holding a broom, while wearing a long dark cloak and a surprisingly well-made pointed construction paper hat. She held out her hand in front of her, observing how well the brightly colored gloved looked against the dull-colored witch costume. Pleased with her costume, she scurried down the stairs and exited onto the porch. It was somewhat windy, and she had to hold her hat in place to keep it from blowing away with the warmly colored leaves that fluttered through the air. Upon the steps sat a jack-o-lantern, cut in a classic triangle-eye and smile style. She walked past it, the old stairs creaking and groaning with each step.

Coraline began the walk to Wybie's house. The wind was biting and cold, but her thick wool cloak protected her from the nighttime chill. When she finally arrived, Wybie was already sitting on his front porch. He lifted his plastic zombie mask to reveal a warm smile and waved.

"Hey, I like your costume"

"Thanks, yours looks like you got it at the dollar store"

Wybie laughed a little, though the comment had clearly hurt.

Together they walked back to the pink palace, the first place on their trick-or-treating route. They first visited Ms. Spink and Forcible, who offered them some oddly expired-looking candy, which they politely declined. They then walked up the rickety steps to 's apartment. They knocked and waited while the old man made his way to the door.

"Hello? Who there?" he said, opening the door.

"Ah! Coraline and her friend! Здравствуйте! So good to see you!"

Coraline and Wybie held out their bags, "Hi, Trick or treat!" Coraline said.

"Ah, yes, is Halloween." said, disappearing behind the half opened screen door.

"Yes, yes, I having your candy. Is very goo-"

He was interrupted by a monotonous drumming sound which had suddenly began. He turned in the direction of the sound, and Coraline craned her neck to see what it was. She, however, dismissed the sound, noticing that it was only a small bird tapping on the window. Mr. Bobinsky, on the other hand, seemed dismayed.

"Господь! That is very bad omen!" He said, seeming quite upset.

"Umm…" Coraline said quietly, confused and trying to bring his attention back to the candy.

"Ah...yes, candy" He said, after rapping on the window until the bird flew away. "Yes I am having candy for you" He said, handing them each a chocolate bar. Coraline looked at hers, she didn't recognize the brand and it was labeled in Russian. However, she liked chocolate and it didn't look a thousand years old, so she was satisfied with it. They left after briefly trying to console , who was often disturbed by his strange superstitions.

"So, where to now?" Coraline asked her friend.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could go over to that rich area of town. Y'know, where they give out full size snickers." Wybie replied.

"Sounds good, but that's through the woods." Coraline said, trying to make it clear that she didn't think trying to find their way through the forest in the dark would be much fun.

"Well...I can go back to my place and grab a flashlight if you want. You're free to your own opinion, but I'd rather go through the woods than try to walk alongside the road without a sidewalk in the dark."

Coraline narrowed her eyes slightly, she didn't want to admit that Wybie's plan was more logical.

"Fine, I guess. Let's go, it's late and I wanna get their before all the candy's gone."

They walked into the woods, which was an uneven area, full of sloping hills and the occasional bluff or valley. It was impossibly dark, and the earth was slick with mud and wet leaves. Huge tree roots creeped and spiraled across the already uneven and slippery ground. The full moon shone through the tangled branches, shedding an unearthly blue-green glow on the area.

It seemed impossible for them to maintain their footing in the dark and uncertain forest, but Coraline felt as though returning to get a flashlight would be admitting defeat. And so they pressed onwards, collecting mud in their shoes and clutching the twisted branches for support.

"Do...do you wanna go back?" Wybie asked.

"No, I think we're almost there. I think I can see some street lights up ahead" She said, pulling her foot out of a mud puddle with a splatter of murky water.

Now standing on an area of even ground, Coraline stopped for a second to stomp the mud off her shoes.

With each stomp, a small clump of mud fell onto the ground, along with assorted twigs and leaves. On the third stomp, a large crack resounded through the forest.

And the ground fell out from beneath the two children.

And down they fell.

Into the Unknown.

* * *

"Woodsman, the lantern's light is growing dim. If you let the lantern go out, your brother shall fade into darkness with it."


	2. Chapter 2

Wybie shivered, his light windbreaker did nothing to protect him from the wind.

"Coraline? I'm really cold, how long have we been walking?"

"Shh!" Coraline replied sharply "be quiet, I think I hear something…"

They both listened, and sure enough they both heard the sound of someone whistling a tune in the distance. They approached quietly, unsure whether the whistling person could be trusted. As they drew closer, the whistling grew more clear, and a flickering light began to formulate in the distance.

Suddenly the simple melody was interrupted by a loud crack. The whistling stopped, and the sudden noise seemed to reverberate throughout the forest. One of them had stepped on a stick. The pair held their breath, watching as the light drew nearer.

"Who's there!" a voice called out.

The bobbing light got closer, and they could make out the person carrying it. He wore a tall hat, and carried in one hand the lantern, and in the other a large axe.

"Run" Coraline hissed.

They whipped off into the darkness, stumbling over tree roots and swatting at branches.

They ran for about five minutes, unsure of where they were headed.

"Ow! Shit!" Wybie yelped.

Coraline stopped, holding her side where a cramp had started to develope, and breathing heavily.

"Wha.." she inhaled "...what happened"

"I don't know, I think a branch hit me in the eye."

"Is he following us" Coraline asked, regaining her composure, and looking off into the darkness.

"I don't think so…"

"Good"

"I mean...not really. We have no idea where we are, and it's dark and cold" He looked around nervously.

"Well, I guess we can stop to rest. We can find somewhere to get help in the morning. Do you know how to make a campfire with sticks?" Coraline asked.

"What? No. How in the world would I?"

"Well, I guess we'll just have to deal with the cold then." Coraline said, shoving her hands into her pockets to warm them.

"Wait...hold on a sec" She said, pulling something out of her pocket. Wybie looked closely, and though it was difficult to make out in the half-moon light, he was able to see a small box labeled "Matches".

"Matches?!"

"Yeah! These are the matches I used this morning to light my jack-o-lantern!"

It took several tries, and was made more difficult by the fact that it had rained the night before and much of the wood was damp, but eventually the two got a fire started. The fire jumped and flashed, giving the shadows an eerie life-like quality. They were tired and their bones ached with cold and fatigue, so they fell asleep almost immediately, watching the blue-grey smoke swirl and puff upwards towards the yellow half-moon.

* * *

A figure stepped out of the shadows, he wore a pointy hat and carried a lantern in one hand and an axe in the other.

"Beast?!" He called out into the trees.

Another figure, impossibly tall, and shrouded in darkness approached the edge of where the fire's light shone.

"Beast!" The young man said "Are these the souls which will keep my brother alive?" He gestured towards the sleeping children.

"Yes, they will soon be Adelwood. And then, they will be fuel for your brother's flame. You need not do anything, it may take time, but they will eventually lose hope."

The young man nodded, a mournful look in his eyes, as though he regretted the sorrowful fate of these lost souls but knew it to be a necessary evil. He trudged off into the forest. The darker figure loomed for a moment longer, before leaving as well, the fire extinguishing into one last plume of smoke upon his departure.


	3. Chapter 3

Coraline woke to the sound of light rain dripping on the leaves above her. She sat up and stretched, in the process noticing that sleeping on the ground hadn't done her back much good. She noticed a bad taste in her throat, and decided to go find some water.

Though the sky was grey with clouds, the daylight made it much easier to find her way, and after only a few minutes of walking Coraline was able to locate a small pool. The water looked clean and clear, or at least enough so that she was ok with drinking it. Cupping her hands, she scooped up some of the cool water.

She tried not to drink too much, as she didn't want to get sick. After she finished drinking, Coraline looked across the pond to see a large frog staring at her.

"What do you want?" She asked it rhetorically, raising an eyebrow in an exaggerated imitation of genuine interest.

It replied with a low pitched croak, before hopping into the pool with a splatter of pond water.

Suddenly the rain grew heavier, the light pattering turning almost instantly into a heavy drumming, and the droplets breaking the barrier created by the leaves. Coraline sprinted back to where Wybie was.

He was awake, sitting and looking at the remainders of last nights fire.

"Fires out" he remarked pointlessly, since it was quite clear.

"Looks like it." she replied. "So...it's starting to rain pretty hard…"

"Yeah, umm, I actually think I saw a road over here."

He got up and walked over to what, at first glance appeared to be a ditch, but revealed itself to be a small path upon closer inspection. They climbed down the small embankment surrounding the trail, battling some thorny brambles in the process.

The two walked silently through the rain for some time, until they came upon what looked to be a house. However, upon further inspection, the structure was proven to be a tavern by a rustic wooden sign that hung above the door.

Coraline pushed the door open, which took a surprising amount of effort. She and Wybie entered to see a wooly sheep dog sitting by the door. Wybie smiled and gave the dog a friendly pat. Coraline found a table and sat down at it, and Wybie joined her after introducing himself to the dog. It was warm and homey in the tavern, made so by a roaring fire and well-placed lanterns.

Coraline scanned the room, looking for someone who looked safe to ask for directions. However, she was disappointed to find that everyone seemed to possess a somewhat creepy and archaic appearance, that was somewhat reminiscent of a folktale or fairy tale.

"Well, hey there cuties, whatcha doin 'round here?" A woman with a high pitched sing-song voice asked them.

"Oh...uhh" Wybie stammered.

"We're a little lost and we're trying to find our way home, do you think you could tell us where we are?" Coraline said.

She chuckled. "Well thats easy. Yer at the tavern"

"Yeah, but where is the 'tavern'" Coraline narrowed her eyes, feeling as though the tavern keeper was intentionally being vague.

"Who're you guys anyway?" The woman asked, mirroring Coraline's suspicious expression.

"Who are we?" She paused "I'm Coraline, and this is Wybie."

"No,no,no. Who *are* you."

Coraline raised and eyebrow.

"Y'see, I'm the tavern keeper. That's the baker, butcher, tailor…" She went on to list many of the folks in the room. "So, who're you?"

"Oh, I'm not really sure. I don't have a job if that's what you mean."

The woman sighed, "Well, where'd you come from?".

"We're from Ashland" The woman only looked confused. "...Oregon?" Coraline added hopefully.

"...You're not from the Unknown" She said, with an expression of curiosity and slight disbelief.

"What?"

The tavern keeper sighed, "Well, in that case, you're a lost more lost than you think. What do remember happening since you got here?"

Coraline recounted their experiences. Telling them about their Halloween plans, their journey through the woods, but somehow being unable recall falling down the old well and simply going through the story as though it had never happened. When she mentioned their encounter with the person carrying the lantern nearly the whole tavern fell silent, save for a few gasps and murmurs.

"...The beast!" whispered the tavern keeper sharpley.

"...The beast?"

"Yes, he who bears the lantern must be the beast."

"Ok...so what does the beast want?"

A man sitting at the bar with a wooden tankard in his hand piped up.

"The beast wanders these forests...searching for lost souls such as yourselves...to feed…" The man, clearly drunk, trailed of.

Coraline looked to the tavern keeper for clarification, but she only nodded, apparently having understood the man's garbled explanation. Coraline thought for a moment. The "Beast" they had seen had only appeared to be a teenager of about fifteen or sixteen, surely such a foe couldn't pose much of threat.

"Well." Coraline said loudly, looking around the room to see that she had caught everyone's attention.

"Well, I saw the beast and he was hardly the terrifying creature you all seem to think he is. I think that you're making a big deal out of nothing. And to prove it to you, I'll kill the beast!" She brought her fist down on the table for effect. The room fell silent for a moment. Than the tavern keeper chuckled.

"Kill the beast?! Well, in that case I know what you are." She smiled warmly, though with a hint condescendence. "You're the hunter." The others who'd been listening in on the conversation nodded and smiled in agreement.

Coraline and Wybie ate their fill and even tried some ale, which was offered to them freely. After they finished their meal a man who was carrying a load of straw in his cart offered to give them a ride. They hopped on the back of the cart. It had stopped raining, and they found it quite enjoyable to ride atop a soft, though somewhat prickly, pile of straw.

"Coraline?" Wybie said. "We can't really kill the beast."

"Well, why not?" she responded.

"I mean...he's a person."

Coraline ignored him.

"And also, isn't all of this a little strange. We haven't seen any cars since we got here, this guy's got horse pulled cart" He whispered the last part, worried that the man might hear him.

"Well...maybe he's Amish…"

The cart moved along beside a canal, Coraline watched the murky river, occasionally noticing a duck bobbing in it's waters. They moved on for hours, until the sun was low on the horizon and sky grew discolored, unsure where they wanted to go.

The cart slowed down as they went through a covered bridge. It was completely dark, save for some light coming through the cracks in the structure's roof. Suddenly the cart stopped.

"H-hey who are you?! What do you want?" They heard the man ask, a tremor in his voice.

"Hide" Coraline hissed. She and Wybie climbed into the pile of straw.

"Give me all your valuables!" A gruff voice said loudly.

"I-i'm just a farmer...I don't have anything."

They lied on the wooden floor of the cart, under several feet of straw, holding their breath.

"Liar! No poor man dresses in such a way."

Coraline's lungs ached.

"I..I was going into town today. Please, these are the best clothes I ow…"

The man trailed off into a sickening gurgle that was accompanied by the sound of splashing.

Wybie gasped.

The man apparently didn't hear, as he was too busy rummaging through the cart-owner's pockets.

"Ha!" they heard him say, apparently having found something of value, before leaving with his spoils.

Coraline and Wybie waited for a long time, maybe even an hour, to make sure the highwayman wasn't planning to return. Then they cautiously crawled out of the straw.

The air smelled metallic and strange. The covered bridge seemed to be a world of it's own, cut off from the sweet night air and shining half-moon that lurked outside of it's dark and messy borders. Wybie stepped in something and it splashed. It was warm he noticed.

"Oh my god…" He said quietly, trying to wipe whatever it was off the front of his coat.

Coraline, in a bit of a daze, lit a match, revealing in a strange yellow light the body of the cart's driver, sitting in an unnatural pose with it's head tilted far further back than was natural, and blood bubbling out of the open wound.


	4. Chapter 4

Somewhere, in a vast sweeping pasture, sat a small cottage. It's walls made of cobbles, and ivy growing across one wall. Smoke puffed up from the tin chimney in black swathes. Inside this cottage, an old woman sat upright in bed beneath a large and colorful quilt.

"Put the kettle on, dearie, I suspect we'll be having company soon"

"Yes, ma'am" A girl said, tilting her head slightly to reveal, behind a shroud of rusty red hair, a jagged white scar stretching across her forehead.

* * *

Coraline and Wybie sat in the thickets next to the river. The moon hung above them, it's yellow reflection distorted in the water, and the melodic sounds of crickets chirping and insects buzzing all around. For a long time they didn't say anything, trying, simply, to replace the memory of that sickly metallic smell with that of the fresh night air. After watching the distorted reflection in the water's surface for some time, Coraline spoke.

"So...do you think we should...I don't know...find someone and tell them about this?"

Wybie didn't really hear her, and for a few moments continued to gaze at the night sky.

"Isn't it strange that we've been here three nights and the moon hasn't changed?" He said absentmindedly. He didn't want to talk about what had happened, that would make it too real.

"Uhh...yeah, I guess." Coraline said. She was annoyed, but then, realizing how disturbed by the event he was, softened her attitude.

"C'mon, let's start walking." She said, taking Wybie's hand.

They walked along the dirt path, bordered on one side by the strange dark forest, and on the other by the bulrushes and water. They walked for hours, until the sun began to peer over the horizon and paint the sky red. Not long after the sun began to rise, they came upon a large mansion. The two approached it, and Coraline knocked on the towering door.


	5. Chapter 5

After a few minutes the door was opened by a maid, who looked at them quizzically behind the half-closed door.

"I didn't know was expecting visitors?" she said.

"Oh...uhh." Coraline wasn't quite sure how to explain their situation. However, before she could decide where to start, the women gasped at the sight of the blood on Wybie's jacket.

"Goodness, what happened to you two?!"

"We...we were riding in a carriage wit-" Once again the woman cut her off.

"Come inside and get out of the cold, you can explain everything then." She ushered them into the parlor.

As soon as she stepped into the room Coraline felt the feeling flood back into her numb fingers and toes, though she had not noticed before that she was cold. The room was quite large, with a long table running down the center, and two bookshelfs beside the small and ornate fireplace, above which hung an archaic hunting rifle. There was no light, save for the red embers in the fireplace, and the blue-grey of the early morning sky shining through the tall windows.

The woman returned, though Coraline had never actually noticed her leave, with two light blankets, which she offered to them before gesturing for them to sit down at the table. They obliged, and proceeded to tell the woman what happened. However, halfway through the story they were interrupted by a man entering the room.

"Matilda? Who are these people?" The man said, somewhat drearily, from a dark doorway.

"Oh, . I am very sorry, these children just witnessed a horrible crime and are quite shaken. I thinking, if it was ok with you, they could stay for a while…"

Endicott looked at them grimly for a few moments.

"Well…" his face changed to a warmer expression. "Well, I- I suppose., yes, it is always nice to have quests. Matilda, please go fix us some breakfast." He said, sitting beside them at the table.

So, bundled up in blankets and beside a cozy fire, Coraline and Wybie ate a delicious breakfast and told the story of how they had ended up there.

"Well, what an absolutely gruesome tale!" Endicott exclaimed. "Matilda, please take our plates away, and make a call to the authorities", adding the last part nonchalantly.

"Goodness!" Endicott exclaimed. "Why, I don't believe I've introduced myself. How inconsiderate of me!"

Wybie hadn't talked much since their arrival, nor payed much attention to the conversation. However, he did notice an off putting tone to this strange man's exaggeratedly expressive voice. It was as though he was masking some hidden instability or fear behind a bizarre pantomime of authentic courtesy.

"My name is Quincy Endicott, the maker of Quincy Endicott's Health Tea. And as you can see from my estate, it is quite a lucrative business." He said, the last part with some genuine pride.

Wybie looked over at Coraline to see if she shared his unease. However, she didn't seem to notice as she was gazing wearily at somewhere near the fireplace.

" !" The maid opened the door, startling Endicott who jumped slightly.

"G-goodness, you must be more careful. You know I've...I've not been myself since Marguerite died…"

Well he seemed distracted, Coraline leaned over, and, while gesturing to the rifle above the fireplace, whispered the words "Beast Killer".

Wybie wasn't quite sure what she meant at first. He'd been quite shaken by the recent events, and the words of the strange tavern-folk were the last things on his mind.

"So, I don't believe you've introduced yourselves to me either." said. Coraline, in response, began to introduce herself.

How could she still care about that, Wybie wondered. After being lost for three days and witnessing a murder. Part of him admired her persistence, but most of him was upset, and afraid that they would never get home.

"And who are you, young man?"

"Wha-?" He'd been caught off guard by the man's exuberant tone. "Oh, I'm Wybie."

"Why that certainly is an odd name"

Wybie chuckled nervously.

No one talked for a few moments as a palpable tension began to settle. Wybie picked at the dirt that had accumulated underneath his fingernails. Coraline was about to speak when Endicott broke the silence.

"Well, how would you two like to be shown around my mansion?"

Coraline looked at Wybie, who shrugged.

"Uhh...sure...I guess."

"Wonderful! Well, shall we get going?"

They were escorted down a long winding hallway, where Endicott proceeded to stop every few paces to explain the story behind some ancient painting or present an intricately decorated room. Coraline began to grow tired of this pretty quickly. While Endicott described a grim-faced portrait of some old-money ancestor, Coraline became quite fascinated by a door on the other side of the hallway, which was carved so intricately that made Endicott's decor bland in comparison.

" ?" He paused. "What's this room?"

He looked at the door, visibly uncomfortable.

"Ah...well. I-i suppose I should tell you…" He swallowed. "You see, my wife has recently...passed on…"

"Oh, I'm sorry…"

"No, no. It's quite alright. I would show it to you but...but her departure has been rather difficult for me…"

"It's alright, I understand entirely." Coraline said, noticing his discomfort.

"Yes, well, should we continue?"

After much time spent exploring the expansive mansion, and having polite conversation with , the sun began to sink in the horizon, and the two were shown to the guest bedrooms where they could stay the night.

Wybie laid his head on the down pillow. It was cool and comfortable, but despite his weariness, he couldn't seem to sleep. He did rest; closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to drift, but he never reached actual sleep.

Wybie was awoken from his daze by the sound of gentle knocking.

"Who's there?" he asked, forcing himself to get out of the comfortable bed and answer the door.

It was Coraline.

"Hurry up and get dressed" She whispered. "We're leaving."

She had a daring expression that Wybie didn't quite like, and had already changed out of the nightclothes they had been given and back into the wool cloak and hat, which masked her eyes and gave her a sinister look.

They walked down to the parlor, careful to not make a sound. When they got there, Coraline dragged a chair over by the fireplace and used it as a stepping stool to reach the rifle.

"You're stealing from him?"

"Yeah, can you help me find some bullets?"

Wybie didn't say anything.

"Aha! There's a package of cartridges right here!" She picked up the package of winchester cartridges, which made a rattling sound.

"Some of them are gone…"

She hopped down off the chair.

"Are we going to leave now?"

"Nah, I want to check out that room he wouldn't open."

"What?! Why in the-"

"Shh! Because I want to know what's in their."

"But...but he told use. It was his wife's room."

Coraline ignored him and began walking down the hallway, which was dark save for the moon's light shining through the occasional window. The portraits stared at them grimly from the walls, and the cartridge box rattled with Coraline's steps.

"Here we are…" She said with a smirk, opening the door.

The room was bathed in the blue light of the night sky, which shone in through two large windows. Between the windows was a portrait of a beautiful woman with her hair piled and interwoven with flowers in an elaborate style.

Aside from these details, the room was in disarray. Books had been knocked off the shelf, a vase was broken, and the most conspicuous element was the rust colored stain on one wall.

Amongst it all Endicott stood, seemingly having been pacing erratically before their entrance, but now looking at them with an expression like a cornered animal.

"You...You're not supposed the be here…" He said in earnest.

Then he saw the gun and his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, I see it now. You children are just after my money. Just like she was. Yes, yes, it is all clear...you...you come here seeming so helpless...but it was my money you were after all along…"

He continued these irrational accusations as he reached for a knife that sat on the window-sill.

"Well, you must think me quite stupid for falling for such a trick."

Coraline froze for a second, unsure what she could do. But then she realized the rifle in her hands.

Endicott began to dash towards them with knife in hand.

Coraline fumbled with the cartridges.

He grabbed her by the hem the cloak.

"Ha! You thought you could outsmart me!" He said, holding the knife above her head.

She shot.

With the crack of the rifle, the thud of the body, and a familiar scent, Coraline had formally become the hunter.


	6. Chapter 6

The kickback of the rifle knocked Coraline to the ground.

For a moment she laid there. Had she actually just killed someone? She stood up, leaning against the wall for balance.

She had to, Coraline thought to herself, she had to kill him.

"...you killed him." She heard Wybie say through the ringing in her ears.

Had there been any choice?

She picked up the rifle. The barrel felt warm.

"Oh my god, we're going to go to jail." Wybie said, shock turning into fear.

"We had to." Coraline said, her voice sounded strange and distant to her.

"Coraline, get rid of that thing!" Wybie said, trying to wrench the gun out of her hands. "What if the police show up?!"

"No! This thing's what's gonna get us out of this place."

"You just killed someone!" He said, his voice shrill with panic. "Coraline, you're scaring me."

"Look, we have no idea where this place is. For all we know we could be in another dimension or something. H-how do you think we're gonna get out of here without this? There's monsters and people trying to kill us all over the place!" She felt her face get warm, and tried to hold back the tears she could feel welling in the corners of her eyes.

Wybie started to say something, but Coraline interrupted him.

"If you want to die. You can stay here...b-but...I'm gonna go kill whatever it is that's keeping use here." She began walking down the dark hallways towards the mansions exit.

Wybie stood there for a few moments, he heard Coraline open the door and leave, he didn't want to follow her. If she wanted to continue this bizarre fantasy, then so be it, he was going to get home.

Wybie turned around and caught a glimpse of the body, it's waxy white skin contrasted sickeningly with the dark blood that was beginning to seep out of the bullet wound. He looked down the dark hallway where Coraline had went. If he went that way he'd just be following Coraline again.

He noticed a window at the the end of the hallway, spilling moonlight across the floor.

The Beast stood at the edge of the forest and laughed a low foreboding laugh. Despair wasn't the only thing he fed on.


End file.
